Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-07-08

oiOopo uONH ble pIeClplUOuS siucs VI hdJuDu
mountain. After this old Silas Croft began
to lose heart n little. The run of disaster
was SO unreieved that even his robust faith
in the invincibility of the English arms was
shaken.
at is very strange, Bessie" he said, "very
strange; but never mind, it is bound to come
right at last. Our government is not going
to knock under because they have suffered
few reverses."
Then came long four weeks of uncer-
tainty. The air was thick with rumors, most
of them brought by natives, one or two by
passing Beers, to which, however, Sias Croft
declined to pay any attention. Soon it be-
came abundantly clear, however, that an
armistice was concluded between the English
and the Beers, but what were its terms or its
object they were quite unable to decide Silas
Croft thought that the Beers, overawed by
the advance of an overwhelming force, meant
to give in without further lighting; but Bessie
shook her head
One day--it was the same on which John
and jess had left Pretoria-a kailir brought
news that the armistice was at an end, that
the English were advancing up to the Mex in
thousands and were going to force it on the
morrow and relieve the rarl'isons-a piece of
intelligence that brought some of the old
light back to BeSsies eyes. As for her uncle
he was jubilant.
"The tide is going TO turn at last, my love-"
he said, "aud we shall have our innings. Well,
it is time we should, after all tho shame and
loss and agony of mind we have gone
through. Upon my word, for the last two
months | have been ashamed to call myself
an Englishman. However, there is an end of
it now. | knew that they would never give
in and desert us" and the old man straight
ened his crooked back and slapped his chest
and looked as proud and gallant as though he
were 25 instead of TO-
The rest of that day passed without any
further news, and so did the following two,
but on the next, which was March %, the
storm broke.
About II o'clock ia the forenoon Bessie was
employed upon her household duties as usual,
or rather she had just finished them. Her
uncle had returned from making his after
breakfast round upon the farm and was
standing in the sitting room, his broad felt
hat in one hand and red pocket handker-
chief in the other with which he was polish
ing his bald head, while he chatted to Bessie
through the open door.
NO news of the advance, Bessie dear?"
mo, uncle" she replied, with a sigh, and
tbirlin, Of ono Of ,yho,, thora ,,o, o1so 40
news.
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some delay waiting for guns or ammunition
or something. l expect that we shall hear
something by tonight
lio sJo 90 la 40 .nl', Wen euo'ie',ly 'iio iis
-, y, oaeS~ &c o, ~ i. up .n0 P'i'''e
Ode Booren, baas, de Booren!" The Beers.
master the Boers) he shouted. "The Beers
are coming with a wagon. twenty of them or
more, with Frank Muller at their head on
his black horse, and Hans Coetzee, and the
wizard with one eve with him. was hiding
behind tree at the end of the avenue, and |
saw them coming over the rise. They are
going to take the place. :" and without waiting
TO give any further explanations. he Slipped
through the house and hid himself up some
where at the back out of the way, for Janti e
like most IIottentots, was a sad coward.
The old man stopped rubbing his head and
stared at Bessie, who was standing pale and
trembling in the doorway Just then he
heard the patter, of running feet on the drive
outside, and looked out Of the window. 1t
was caused by the passing of some half dozen
KatIirs who were working on the place, and
who, on catching sight of the Beers, had
promptly thrown down their tools and were
flying to the hills. Even as they passed a
shot was fired somewhere from the direction
Of the avenue, and the last of the katfirs, a
lad of about twelve, suddenly threw up his
hands and pitched forward on his face, with
bullet between. his shoulderbades.
Bessie heard the shout of Good shot, good
shot" and the brutal laughter that greeted
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